WASHINGTON (AFP) - The top United States commander in the Middle East suggested he was likely to ask for another extension in the current troop levels in Iraq (news - web sites), now at 135,000, and might even ask for more troops beyond that.

The New York Times said Saturday Central Command head General John Abizaid had made clear in an interview that the security situation was liable to worsen as the June 30 deadline for handing over sovereignty to Iraq approached.

The general cited the likelihood of new insurgent attacks against American troops and expressed doubt about the current reliability of Iraqi security forces, the report said.

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